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Johannesburg - Lions coach Swys de Bruin admitted to being "nervous" before his side's Super Rugby clash against the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.
Matches between the two franchises will always be massive, and this was De Bruin's first experience of the Jukskei derby as head coach.
But while getting the win over John Mitchell's charges was the obvious priority, De Bruin was also a little worried at how Springbok lock Franco Mostert would perform in his new role at No 7.
The 27-year-old has notched up 18 Test matches over the past two years, but new Bok coach Rassie Erasmus was reportedly keen to see him operate in a loose forward role.
Speaking after his side's 49-35 win on Saturday, De Bruin was pleased with what he had seen from Mostert.
“Knowing Franco and the way he plays … he is quick and he can run all over," De Bruin said.
"He was absolutely unreal.
"That worked well, even when we moved him to lock at the end there. He can play No 7 or lock any time now, the ice is broken."
De Bruin acknowledged that there was a strong possibility that he would continue to use Mostert at No 7.
"We’ll have to see … maybe, yes. We can see that it worked ... that was awesome," he said.
The Lions are next in action when they host the Blues at Ellis Park on Saturday.
